Hawke's Bay's star thoroughbred Jimmy Choux has been retired from the racetrack and is set to become a stallion when the new breeding season begins next spring.
The Thorn Park 4-year-old, owned by Havelock North couple Richard and Liz Wood and trained at Hastings by John Bary, ran his last race when finishing at the tail of the field in Saturday's Group one Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in Sydney. It was the horse's second start in a new campaign, following a sixth placing in last month's Easter Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie, and he was supposed to go on and contest the Group one A$500,000 Doomben Cup (2040m) in Brisbane on May 19.
But his connections have said the horse is now showing signs of wanting to be a stallion more than a racehorse and arrangements are now being made to stand the horse at stud later this year.
Jimmy Choux had 26 starts for 12 wins and finished in the first three on 19 occasions. Five of his victories were at Group one level and his stake earnings totalled $3,626,763.
Jimmy Choux's five Group one wins were in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie, Rosehill Guineas (2000m) in Sydney, Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings and Hawke's Bay Spring Classic (2040m) at Hastings. He was also second behind Pinker Pinker in last year's Group one weight-for-age Cox Plate (2040m) in Melbourne.
Turquoise comes up trumps
Turquoise gave the Bary family something to celebrate on Saturday when she broke through for a deserved win in a $7000 maiden over 1200 metres at the Masterton meeting at Woodville.
The 3-year-old Ishiguru filly is trained by John Bary and raced by his mother Anne. She was having her fifth start this season, with the previous four runs resulting in two fourths and two seconds.
Owners taste first-up win
Howbadami has provided Hawke's Bay couple Will and Lucy de Lautour with a dream result from the first horse they have raced by themselves.
The 6-year-old Howbaddouwantit gelding was recording his second win in their colours when successful in a $25,000 Rating 75 2500-metre race at Hastings on April 21 and has now had seven starts for them for two wins, two thirds, a fourth and a fifth.
Howbadami is trained at Hastings by Paul Nelson and the de Lautour's also have a share in the I See Red Syndicate that has raced a number of successful jumpers from the Nelson stable.
"But this is the first one that we have raced on our own," Will said.
Nelson bought Howbadami on behalf of the de Lautours last year after the horse had won race from 13 starts for another Hastings trainer, Dene Smith.
The de Lautours farm a property in Central Hawke's Bay and also have two other unraced horses coming on, a Sunray 4-year-old gelding and a Le Bec Fin 3-year-old gelding.
Pellegrini's hat-trick
Hawke's Bay-owned Pellegrini continued on his winning way with another super-impressive performance in a $30,000 Rating 85 1400-metre race at Saturday's Cambridge meeting at Te Rapa. It was the 3-year-old's third win in a row and his fourth from just 12 starts.
Pellegrini is trained at Cambridge by Murray Baker and owned by Taradale man Alan Jackson, who races him in partnership with his father Vic, son David and brother Terry.
Alan Jackson bought the horse's dam, Cashcade, two years ago with Pellegrini a weanling at foot. The mare has also left the Group one winner Ekstreme.
Pellegrini led all the way on Saturday, racing clear of his opposition over the final stages to win by 4 lengths. Baker said the horse may have one more start this season before he is turned out for a winter spell and brought back in the spring.
Belfast Lad tops $100,000
Hawke's Bay owned and trained Belfast Lad also produced an impressive front running display when taking out the $15,000 Open 2100-metre race at Saturday's Masterton meeting at Woodville.
The Colombia gelding added to his great record on the Woodville track with a 5 length victory over another Hawke's Bay horse, Intransigent.
Belfast Lad, who is owned and trained by Waipukurau couple Penny and Tony Ebbett, has now had six starts at Woodville for three wins and two placings.
The Ebbetts paid just $2500 for Belfast Lad as a yearling and he has now won them 10 races and more than $100,000 in stakemoney.
HB-bred an upset winner
Hawke's Bay-bred Slack The Diver upset punters when scoring at odds of 44-to-1 in a 2100-metre maiden race at Saturday's Masterton meeting at Woodville.
It was the 4-year-old's first glimpse of form in 17 starts and he prevailed by a short neck over two Hastings-trained horses in Bat Pad and Portrush.
Slack The Diver is trained at Foxton by former jockey Howard Johnson. He was bred by Hawke's Bay couple Isabell and Graham Roddick and is out of the Four Seasons mare Change Of Habit, who is from the same family as the champion galloper Rough Habit.
Little Bridge off to the UK
Top Hong Kong sprinter Little Bridge, who had his early education in Hawke's Bay, is now set to take on Black Caviar and the best sprinters in the United Kingdom following his win in Sunday night's HK$3 million HKJC Sprint Cup (1200m).
He was recording his second black--type win on end following a victory in theBauhinia Sprint Trophy (1000m), when carrying 60.5kg.
Trainer Danny Shum has confirmed that the 5-year-old's victory means that he will have his next start in England where he is nominated for the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes (1000m) and Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot in June, races that Australian trainer Peter Moody has earmarked for champion mare Black Caviar, who made it 20 wins from 20 starts with another awesome performance in Australia on Saturday.
Little Bridge was formerly owned by Hawke's Bay woman Margaret Harkema, who paid $9000 for him as a weanling. He spent his early days in the Hastings stable of Marlene Todd and was sold to a Hong Kong buyer.